HS2 is encouraging women based in the West Midlands to get on board with a bespoke training programme which is designed to kick start a career in the construction sector.
Hosted by Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV), HS2’s construction partner for the West Midlands, the new training programme starts on Monday 30 September at BBV’s Skills Academy based at South and City College Birmingham’s Bordesley Green campus. The free course will combine six weeks of training and a 10-day paid work placement on a local BBV construction site.
Through a combination of hands-on training and classroom-based learning, students will build and develop new skills, while securing nationally recognised accreditations in health and safety, construction skills and traffic marshalling. On successful completion of the course, candidates will progress to a guaranteed interview for site-based roles and will be selected for a paid 10-day work trial – helping to build Britain’s new railway.
To qualify for the programme, students must be aged 19 plus and in receipt of Universal Credit, Jobseeker’s Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance. Places are currently available for women living in Greater Birmingham, Coventry and the Black Country.
Irfa Davies, from Birmingham, graduated from a similar BBV pre-employment programme in 2021 and is now working full-time as an Environmental Technician.
She said:
“I was completely new to the construction industry when I joined Balfour Beatty VINCI three years ago. It’s turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made, and I haven’t looked back since. Everyone has been really welcoming from the first day and I’m learning all the time. I’d certainly recommend BBV and the wider industry to other women who are thinking of doing the same.”
Julie Venn-Morton, HS2’s Senior Legacy Manager for the West Midlands, said:
“This is a great opportunity for women in the West Midlands to secure new, highly sought-after skills and start earning a salary in just six weeks.
“Creating training programmes such as this allows more women to experience construction and see what amazing careers are available for them. We hope that the programme will be a platform for more local people to launch a career with HS2.”
Shilpi Akbar, Head of Stakeholder and Communities at Balfour Beatty VINCI, said:
“The launch of this new training programme for women is an exciting moment for Balfour Beatty VINCI. Our aim is to encourage more women into the construction industry, and further strengthen the positive impact this life-changing project is having across the region.”
The programme is based at South and City College Birmingham’s Bordesley Green campus, which is home to the BBV Skills Academy – a partnership between the college and HS2’s construction partner for the region. Since opening its doors in 2021, the academy has delivered 13,518 hours of training and equipped 219 local people with the skills needed to secure work in the construction sector.
To register for the fast-track programme, please click here to complete BBV’s expression of interest form or email see.team@balfourbeattyvinci.com
For more details, an information session is being held at South and City College Birmingham’s Bordesley Green campus on Wednesday 18 September 2024, starting at 09:00.
